A well groomed cat is a happy cat and being a cat parent, your happiness lies in theirs. Grooming a cat involves a range of activities. This article explains some useful Grooming Tips for Cats. It includes basic grooming tips for brushing, bathing, ear cleaning etc.
Regular grooming goes a long way for overall health of your cat. However, before you set a grooming schedule, it is important to know the exact requirement of your cat.
Brushing Your Cat:
Brushing is a very important component of your cat’s grooming schedule. While covering Grooming tips for Cats, we will look at some important aspects of brushing. Starting from the frequency of brushing, choosing the right type of grooming brush and also the specific grooming requirements of different cat breeds.
Frequency of Brushing:
The frequency of brushing depends on the nature and length of the coat of your cat. It is usually recommended to groom long-haired and medium-haired cats daily, while short-haired cats can be groomed about once a week. So it largely depends on the cat’s breed.
Some Long haired Cat Breeds include –
1) Persian Cat
2) Siberian Cat
3) Maine coon
While some popular Short haired Cat Breeds are –
1) Bengal Cat
2) American Shorthair
3) Russian Blue Cat
Depending on which group your cat belongs to, you need to choose the right type of grooming brush which is specific to their requirement.
Types of Grooming Brushes for Cats:
1) Slicker brush –
It is for basic grooming, suitable for all hair types. It is curved with thin teeth to help remove dirt, dander, and loose hair.
2)Pin brush-
It is best suited to medium to long-haired breeds and those that have curly or woolly coats as the pins penetrate down deeply to remove knots and tangles and to prevent matting.
Pin brushes have protective balls fitted at the tip of each pin so that it does not hurt your cat.
3) Mitt brush-
They are usually made out of vinyl or rubber. One side of a mitt brush has teeth that can brush your cat in a way that mimics petting. This is great for cats that don’t like to be groomed with a brush.
4) Flea comb-
It is a grooming tool that fits in your hand and has small plastic or metal teeth spaced closely together. It helps to remove fleas from your cat by trapping both adult fleas & flea eggs between its teeth.
5) Dual- sided brush-
On one side of the brush, you’ll find fine-tooth bristles that are ideal for removing tangles. On the other side, you’ll find a soft bristle brush that can help you spread your cat’s natural oils across their skin.
How to Bathe Your Cat?
Giving a bath to your cat can be tricky. It will require a lot of patience and utmost precaution. Most cats do not like water. In fact, they hate water. You may need to go through a preparatory phase before your cat is finally comfortable in the shower room. So plan in advance and if it does not work on the very first day, do not get discouraged and try for the next day.
Cats are very sensitive to noises & sudden movements. Hence it is advised to start the shower with lukewarm water a minute before bringing the cat in the shower room.
Once your cat is comfortable in the bathing set up,gently wet your cat with a sponge. Praise them as you proceed further. Avoid spraying water on their eyes and ears. Massage shampoo on their coat, pay close attention to their tail, chest and legs.
Rinse away all of the shampoo by pouring water over your cat’s back. Wrap them in a towel and thoroughly blow dry their coat. Please do not hurry or use the hot air mode while blow drying them. Hold the dryer at a safe distance and carefully dry your cat.
Please do not use Shampoo and Conditioners meant for human use on your cat. Cats have a very sensitive skin and using such products may cause skin irritation and rashes on them.
How to Clean Your Cat’s Ears?
Cleaning and monitoring your cat’s ears is very important. Check for ear infections in them once a week. Check for blockages, foreign objects, redness, itching and abnormal odours. Your veterinarian may give you a solution for ear cleaning. Carefully squeeze a few drops of the solution into your kitten’s ear canal, then gently massage the base of their ear. Make sure to remove any residue with a clean compress. If you are unsure about your kitten’s ear health, contact your vet for further guidance.
How to Clean Your Cat’s Eyes?
There are certain cat breeds that are prone to more eye discharge than others- like the Persian cats. If not cleaned properly the secretion becomes crusty and may lead to eye infections. So it is important to clean your cat’s eyes regularly. Make sure to clean your hand properly before you touch the area near their eyes. Take lukewarm sterilised water and clean cotton balls. Dip one cotton ball in the water, slightly press it to drain excess water and gently rub around their eyes. Repeat this for few more times till the time all the secretion deposits are cleared. Do consult with your veterinarian if you notice any abnormality in the amount of eye discharge.
FAQs:
Question 1)
How frequently should I bathe my cat?
Answer- Cats are known to groom themselves several times a day. So In general, cats should be given a bath once every 4-6 weeks. However, if your cat is more outdoorsy and has a tendency to soil themselves while playing, you may need to give them a bath more frequently, as and when they really need it.
Question 2)
Do cats also shed hair like dogs?
Answer- Cats also shed and grow hair throughout the year. Depending their breed, coat type, diet, stress level and many other factors, the amount of shedding varies in different cats.
